Vatican City, Jul 6, 2018 / 05:54 am
Christians have an important role to play in helping people have a change of heart and mind regarding responsible protection of the earth, Pope Francis said Friday.
Actions which support the future of the planet "presuppose a transformation on a deeper level, namely a change of hearts and minds," the pope said July 6. "The religions, and the Christian Churches in particular, have a key role to play."
Quoting a Jan. 17, 2001 catechesis from St. Pope John Paul II, he said: "We must encourage and support an 'ecological conversion.'"
Pope Francis spoke to around 300 participants in a July 5-6 international conference called "Saving our Common Home and the Future of Life on Earth," held for the third anniversary of the publication of Pope Francis' environmental encyclical, Laudato Si.